Multi-purpose container



March 26, 1957 c, 2,786,474

MULTI-PURFOSE CONTAINER Filed May 6. 1955 lvyzlvrok Car/refine Mlller ATTORNEY MULTI-PURPGSE CONTAINER Catherine Miller, Antioch, Ill.

Application May 6, 1955, Serial No. 506,415

1 Claim. (Cl. 131-238) This invention relates to articles for handling commodities and more particularly to holders or containers by means of which the handling and the maintenance of commodities available for use is accomplished.

The invention relates specifically to a multi-purpose holder or container designed to contain liquid within the same and when placed on its side being adapted to serve as a receptacle for ashes, for smokers articles and as a coaster or support for the bottom of a drinking glass.

Bottles have been used extensively for the packaging of liquids of various kinds including those used by distilleries for the packaging of fermented spirits and such bottles have been of various sizes and shapes and when empty appropriately could be used for other purposes as, for example, as ornamental vases.

It is an object of the invention to provide an attractive multi-purpose container of glass, china, metal or other material, which will constitute a desirable novelty useful in promoting the sale of the container and its contents due to its attractive appearance and utility beyond that of a mere container or ornamental device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multipurpose container with an ornamental appearance useful for holding both liquid and forming an attractive addition to merchants shelves or a table or other furniture in a users home.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one application of the invention on one side or larger bottom;

Fig. 2, a bottom plan view thereof;

Fig. 3, a central longitudinal section;

Fig. 4, a transverse section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5, a transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 6, an elevation of the lower end or smaller bottom.

With continued reference to the drawing, the device of the present invention comprises a generally rectangular and trapezoidal sectioned hollow body of glass, clay or other suitable materials adapted to contain liquids or other substances, and having a neck 11 with a mouth 12. At the remote and of the body from the neck, a relatively fiat bottom portion 13 is provided having the general conformation of a rectangle with an arcuate depression 14, the flat end portion 13 forming a base on which the device can be stood on end in an upright position.

The body 10 has a relatively large substantially flat bottom or side 15 with a reduced hollow supporting portion 16 having generally the configuration of the longitudinal central section of an hour glass, the flat side 15 being adapted to rest upon a supporting surface. The walls 17 and 18 at each longitudinal edge of the fiat side diverge upwardly at a slight angle and are provided with ornamental scallop-forming raised portions or shoulders 19, 20 and 21 at each side and with inwardly curved central portions 22 and 23 providing a reduced portion between the end portions of the structure adapting the body 10 for grasping by a hand.

At the opposite side of the body are provided a depresnited States Patent 0 "ice sion 24 for receiving smokers articles such as cigarettes and matches, an ashtray 25 and a coaster or glass supporting area 26. The depression 24 is provided with a series of grooves 27 adapted to receive the finger tips of a human hand when a person is reaching for cigarettes within the depression, thereby allowing the cigarette to be more readily grasped than if the surface of the depression did not contain such grooves.

The ashtray receiving portion positioned centrally of the body 10 between the inwardly curved central portions 22 and 23 is provided with inwardly or downwardly curved relatively thick edge portions 28 and 29 which contain a plurality of notches or grooves 30 for safely supporting burning cigarettes or cigars.

The coaster or drinking glass supporting area 26 positioned adjacent the lower end of the body 10 has a plurality of concentric grooves 31 for receiving condensed moisture when being used as a coaster, thereby allowing a glass to be stably supported on the area 26 Without a tendency to slide therefrom due to the moisture condensation on the outer surfaces of a drinking glass.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is illustrated in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the accompanying claim.

I claim:

A smokers appliance comprising a body having one face provided with a portion for supporting the body in operative position, said body having a portion of reduced width and of reduced thickness in an intermediate portion thereof, said intermediate portion having a depression forming an ash receiving recess with relatively thick side walls having notches in the upper edges of the side walls for receiving and supporting lighted cigarettes with the lighted ends thereof over the recess in said intermediate portion, an end portion of said appliance being provided with a recess for receiving unlit cigarettes and permitting Withdrawal of the cigarettes either from the adjacent end of the appliance or adjacent the intermediate portion thereof, the side walls of the recess for receiving unlit cigarettes being substantially thinner than the side walls of said ash receiving recess, a transverse partition separating said ash receiving recess from said recess for receiving unlit cigarettes whereby the top edges of the walls vary abruptly from the top edges of the side walls of the recess for receiving unlit cigarettes in the ash receiving recess so that at least one end of an unlit cigarette will be supported on a wall of the ash receiving recess and will come to rest in the cigarette receiving notch of the ash receiving recess, said reduced intermediate portion of said body serving as a gripping means for handling the appliance.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 148,718 Peterson Feb. 17, 1948 D. 151,671 Armus Nov. 9, 1948 D. 151,672 A-rmus Nov. 9, 1948 D. 167,334 Caddel July 29, 1952 1,636,174 Dolan et a1 July 19, 1927 1,681,589 Levien Aug. 21, 1928 1,879,807 Kline Sept. 27, 1932 2,554,136 Brown May 22, 1951 2,667,051 Mesi et a1. Jan. 26, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 274,793 Switzerland July 2, 1951 317,343 Great Britain Aug. 9, 1929 472,031 Great Britain Sept. 15, 1937 985,908 France Mar. 21, 1951 

